Page 6 of Trapped By Claws
The way he said that with the glint in his eyes reminded me without a doubt he was as much a predator as those creatures of the deep. Even if he was gorgeous and had an incredible smile. Any offer of help masked his true intentions.
"Come on." He leaned up on the stone. Tagger mimicked his pose, chirping. "I won't let you drown or fall. You have my word. Just trust me enough to whisk you over to your ship."
I narrowed my eyes at him as I adjusted my grip. "Fae like you always have something else in mind. There's no way I'm ever trusting you." Sweat rolled down the back of my neck and my arms, itching all the way. My bare feet ached a little as I finally reached one of the stone islands that was now ahead of the ship.
So close and yet so far. I halted next to the stone spire, the rope snug in my hands. The length swung between me and theSeaforger's Pride, the other end securely fastened on the post beyond the railing on the ship.
Corvin just laughed. "You won't make it halfway before you're begging me to help you, darling."
Setting my jaw, I strode over to the stone spire. "Don't bet on it, shifter fae."
INFURIATING
Nothing motivated me more than someone telling me I couldn't do something. Even when I was trying to be practical, it was hard to resist the temptation to prove someone wrong and shove it in their faces. Especially when they were so smug and teasing like Corvin.
I adjusted the rope and then secured it to the stone spire, using the technique Hosvir had shown me. He'd said these ropes were woven with magic to make them more secure and responsive.
While I knew magic existed, I'd never been sure whether that was an exaggeration on his part. Here's hoping it wasn't.
I tested it. The rope held fast. But as the ship continued forward, it would slowly draw along the knot while holding tension so long as no one untied it. If it was loosened though, it'd start to slip. I gave it another firm tug.
Corvin continued to watch, that big smirking grin on his face. He slid his arms through the water as he rose and fell with the waves. "This will be fun. Do you really think that rope is going to hold?"
"It's enchanted. It won't come loose until I give the command word." The last part was a lie. But hopefully one that would keephim from messing with it. I glanced over the waters as I gripped the coarse-fibered rope tighter. Adjusting my skirt, I climbed up the stone spire and set myself against the rope. It bobbed and swayed beneath my weight.
My stomach twisted. I steadied myself, drawing in slow breaths.
I could do this.
I really could.
Then—slowly—I stretched out over the rope, rolled under it, wrapped my knees over it, crossed my ankles, and gripped it with my hands.
My heart raced faster as I hung there. Hand over hand, I crawled along out over the water.
The waves rolled and splashed against the little island. A faint mist of salt spray caressed my face.
Corvin gave an amused grunt, his eyes half hooded. "Having fun yet, darling?"
"Why don't you show me how long you can hold your breath and go under?" I cast him a dark glare.
A laugh answered me. He flicked his long yellow-and-green striped tail and swept beneath me. "You don't really want me to leave. What'll you do when your strength gives out? I've got to be here to catch you when you fall."
Salt's bane, he was aggravating. "I'm not falling."
"Yet."
I continued to monkey-crawl along the rope. The itching fibers grated along my callused hands, uncomfortable but manageable. My skirt rode up, revealing the pale-blue leggings underneath. Thank goodness for those leggings though because they kept my legs from getting scratched as bad as my hands. My bare feet pressed along the taut rope and helped me push along.
Hand over hand. Pulling and tugging myself forward.
The creaking and shifting of the rope beneath my grasp unnerved me.
How much time before the ship pulled ahead and drew the rope's length out from the knot?
It had felt so much easier before I was out here over the ocean with who knew what lurking beneath me.
Sweat formed on my brow. I hooked my elbow over the rope and dashed my free hand over my face to wipe the sweat away. The rope bobbed. I wasn't nearly as high as I wanted. But it would increase in height as I neared the ship.
